Miami Beach’s Luxury Oceanfront Hotels

With miles of sublime shoreline and palm trees swaying in the ocean breeze, Miami Beach is a best-in-class destination for soaking up the sun. There’s no shortage of gorgeous oceanfront resorts for your dream vacation, but a few stand out as particularly idyllic. Here is our guide to some of Miami Beach’s most luxurious oceanfront hotels.

Faena Hotel Miami Beach

Faena Hotel Miami Beach, awarded two keys by MICHELIN, offers an exquisite Mid Beach escape in a color palette of red, gold and animal print. Its beach scene is as lavish as its interiors, with red umbrellas and lounge chairs for a striking contrast against the aquamarine ocean. Here, beach attendants will clean your sunglasses, provide sunscreen and even wash the sand off your feet. If you lounge by the beautifully landscaped pool, you’ll be in good company with a work of art by contemporary master Damien Hirst. His sculpture “Gone But Not Forgotten” is a gold-dipped woolly mammoth skeleton resting inside a glass case on the pool deck. Two of the hotel’s on-site restaurants, Los Fuegos By Francis Mallman and Pao By Paul Qui, are MICHELIN-recommended.

The Setai Miami Beach

At 40 stories high, MICHELIN two-key The Setai Miami Beach is the tallest building in Miami Beach, looming large over the Atlantic Ocean in South Beach. This luxurious Zen-chic retreat draws inspiration from Asian cultures for a minimalist approach to design in a palette of subdued black, brown, hardwood and gold tones throughout. The poolscape features three parallel swimming pools, each heated to different temperatures. It leads to the Ocean Grill beneath a pagoda-like structure overlooking the Miami Beach Beachwalk, the nine-mile promenade that runs along the entire coast of Miami Beach, and the ocean. At the beach, sink into a lux lounge chair on the sand and enjoy the utter peacefulness of this oceanfront resort.

W South Beach

Boasting an oversized oceanfront swimming pool tucked away behind neatly manicured seagrape hedges, W South Beach is a favorite hideaway for the celebrity set. The oceanfront resort boasts a beautiful stretch of sand in South Beach with bright pink umbrellas, and the beach attendants are adept at providing the VIP treatment to all guests. Delight in a gourmet menu, cocktails and fine wine from the hotel’s on-site restaurant and bar delivered straight to your beach chair.

The Miami Beach EDITION

Situated inside a historic mid-century modern building overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Mid Beach, The Miami Beach EDITION has retained the hotel’s throwback charm and blended it with modern luxury. The poolscape features a grassy lawn with two swimming pools, one with a restoration of the original diving platform. The lawn is anchored by the Tropicale bar, which sits inside a cabana with a rooftop spire and cushions for lounging. Out at the beach, stylish black-and-white striped lounge chair cushions and umbrellas greet you for an afternoon alternating between toes in the sand and dips in the ocean.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach

For a storied oceanfront resort where Frank Sinatra once held court and parts of the James Bond movie “Goldfinger” were filmed, there’s no place like the fabulous Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Designed by architect Morris Lapidus in 1954, this Mid Beach classic oozes Miami Modern style, with curvilinear lines, original bowtie tile floors and one of the most lavish oceanfront poolscapes in Miami Beach. Whether you spend the day sunning at the beach, lounging by the pool or unwinding at Lapis Spa, the Fontainebleau offers a stylish, all-encompassing oceanfront resort experience.

1 Hotel South Beach

An eco-chic luxury resort spanning an entire city block, the MICHELIN one-key 1 Hotel South Beach is a stylish oasis of tranquility boasting 600 linear feet of oceanfront real estate. The elevated pool deck offers sublime ocean views and three different pools for lounging, swimming and sunning. Enjoy fresh fish tacos from The Sandbox or vegan fare from Plnthouse. There’s also a rooftop swimming pool on the 17th floor anchored by Watr rooftop bar for cocktails and inventive sushi. Of course, you can’t go wrong on a cushy lounge chair in the sand with the Atlantic Ocean lapping against the shore.

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach

Fresh off a multimillion-dollar renovation, The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach is a classic oceanfront luxury hotel inside a historic Art Deco property originally designed by Morris Lapidus in 1953. The landmark resort’s new look includes a glamorous lobby bar with golden palm frond pendant lights and sleek marble and black lacquer finishes as well as updated guest rooms, many with private terraces or lanais that open directly onto the enormous oceanfront pool deck. The exterior resembles a streamlined ocean liner, with glistening windows and balconies reminiscent of a ship’s deck. The hotel is also home to Zaytinya, one of the few oceanfront restaurants in Miami Beach, which was recently taken over by celebrity chef José Andrés.

Loews Miami Beach

One of the most family-friendly oceanfront resorts in Miami Beach, Loews Miami Beach is home to a lagoon-style oceanfront swimming pool, VIP Soak cabanas and the SoBe Kids Club. Drop off the little ones for full- or half-day programming at this interactive clubhouse featuring a larger-than-life lifeguard stand, craft area, TVs, video games and a rec room for teens and tweens. Then enjoy some poolside rest and relaxation all to yourself. The resort is also home to a collection of restaurants featuring local Miami purveyors, like Azucar Ice Cream Company.

The Betsy South Beach

A rare example of colonial-style architecture on Art Deco-laden Ocean Drive, The Betsy South Beach is recognized by Travel + Leisure as one of the 10 best hotels in Miami Beach. While you’ll have to cross the street and traverse Lummus Park to access the beach, you’ll enjoy the most classic of South Beach scenes along the way. The hotel is home to a rooftop swimming pool with captivating ocean views and one of the best pizzerias in town, The Alley. Enjoy their Neapolitan-style pizza in the casual-yet-stylish dining room or order from the window, where gelato is also available. Look up and you’ll spy The Betsy Orb, a public art installation wedged between two buildings that seemingly defies gravity.

Carillon Miami Wellness Resort

An all-encompassing resort perched on the sparkling waters of North Beach, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort is home to the largest spa in South Florida, a state-of-the-art gym, multiple fitness studios and four lavish swimming pools. With one- and two-bedroom suites, a stay here is like checking into your own luxurious Miami Beach oceanfront condo. Tailor-make your own wellness retreat here through a combination of fitness classes, spa therapies and good old-fashioned rest and relaxation under the sun on the tranquil beach. You’ll emerge your best self.

Eden Roc Miami Beach and Nobu Hotel Miami Beach

Essentially two hotels in one located in the heart of Mid Beach, the Eden Roc Miami Beach and Nobu Hotel Miami Beach offer two unique but equally luxurious experiences. The Eden Roc, a symbol of Old Hollywood glamour, offers 415 oceanfront guest rooms. Guests can enjoy cocktails and bites at Lobby Bar or head to Ocean Social for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner with ocean views. Its sister hotel, Nobu, is a Japanese beach house that hosts 206 rooms with both city and ocean views. Guests can dine at Nobu Miami, inspired by Japanese and South American flavors. The hotels share three pools, a wellness spa and a fitness center. For poolside dining, explore the Aquatic Bar for hand-crafted cocktails and delicious bites without leaving the water.

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